title: Six-minute walk test performance in healthy adult Pakistani volunteers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the six-minute walking distance (6MWD) for healthy Pakistanis, identify factors affecting 6MWD, compare published equations with the local data and derive an equation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two medical institutes of Karachi, from January to May 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects between 15 and 65 years were prospectively enrolled after screening. A standardized 6MWT was administered. SpO2, HR, BP and dyspnoea scores were determined pre- and post-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and eleven (71%) men and 85 (29%) women participated. Mean 6MWD was 469.88 ± 101.24 m: men walked 502.35 ± 92.21 m and women walked 389.28 ± 74.29 m. On univariate analysis, gender, height, weight and age showed a significant relationship with the 6MWD. Gender and age were identified as independent factors in multiple regression analysis, and together explained 33% of the variance. The gender-specific prediction equations were: 6MWD (m) for men = 164.08 + (78.06*1) - (1.90*age in years) + (1.95*height in cms) 6MWD (m) for women = 164.08 - (1.90*age in years) + (1.95*height in cms).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  6MWDs among the volunteer subjects were shorter than predicted by reference equations in literature. Height, gender and weight combined explained 33% of the variance. The moderate over-estimation of the 6MWD in Pakistani subject. The proposed equation gives predicted (mean) 6MWDs for adult Pakistani naïve to the test when employing standardized protocol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi.
authors.forename: Nisar Ahmed
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irfan
authors.forename: Ahmed Suleman
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Haque
authors.forename: Ali Bin
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Sarwar Zubairi
authors.forename: Safia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Awan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012015:Reference Standards; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult